diff --git a/.gitlab/ci/pre_check.yml b/.gitlab/ci/pre_check.yml
index aeee0b3cf7..b18c20d798 100644
--- a/.gitlab/ci/pre_check.yml
+++ b/.gitlab/ci/pre_check.yml
@@ -64,11 +64,12 @@ check_version:
     - export IDF_PATH=$PWD
     - tools/ci/check_idf_version.sh
 
-check_rom_api_header:
+check_api_usage:
   extends: .pre_check_template
   script:
     - tools/ci/check_examples_rom_header.sh
     - tools/ci/check_api_violation.sh
+    - tools/ci/check_examples_extra_component_dirs.sh
 
 test_check_kconfigs:
   extends: .pre_check_template
diff --git a/tools/ci/check_examples_extra_component_dirs.sh b/tools/ci/check_examples_extra_component_dirs.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..207efff7f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/ci/check_examples_extra_component_dirs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -uo pipefail
+
+# Examples shouldn't use EXTRA_COMPONENT_DIRS, instead the dependencies should be specified in idf_component.yml files
+
+output=$(find ${IDF_PATH}/examples -name "CMakeLists.txt" -not -path "**/managed_components/**" -not -path "**/build/**")
+files=$(egrep "set\(EXTRA_COMPONENT_DIRS" ${output} | cut -d ":" -f 1)
+found_issues=0
+for file in ${files}
+do
+    if [ "$file" == "${IDF_PATH}/examples/system/unit_test/test/CMakeLists.txt" ]; then
+        # this specific one is okay
+        continue
+    fi
+    echo "${file} uses EXTRA_COMPONENT_DIRS. Change it to reference the component using idf_component.yml file."
+    ((found_issues++))
+done
+
+if [ $found_issues -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "No examples use EXTRA_COMPONENT_DIRS"
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+exit 1
diff --git a/tools/ci/executable-list.txt b/tools/ci/executable-list.txt
index 59bf4162b9..6d27152c5f 100644
--- a/tools/ci/executable-list.txt
+++ b/tools/ci/executable-list.txt
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ tools/ci/check_callgraph.py
 tools/ci/check_codeowners.py
 tools/ci/check_deprecated_kconfigs.py
 tools/ci/check_esp_memory_utils_headers.sh
+tools/ci/check_examples_extra_component_dirs.sh
 tools/ci/check_examples_rom_header.sh
 tools/ci/check_executables.py
 tools/ci/check_idf_version.sh